Pope Leo Names LGBTQ-Affirming, Pro-Migrant Bishop to Lead Monterey

Bishop Ramón Bejarano of San Diego — once apologized to LGBTQ Catholics and stood with migrants in court, signaling the pontiff’s inclusive vision for the Church.

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Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Ramón Bejarano, an auxiliary bishop from San Diego, as the new Bishop of Monterey in California.

On paper it’s a routine announcement, but it speaks volumes about the direction Leo is steering the American Church.

Bejarano continues the pope’s trend of elevating pastors from diverse backgrounds: earlier this year, three of Leo’s first four U.S. bishop picks were immigrants, and Bejarano himself was born in Texas and spent part of his youth in Mexico.

He brings a border perspective that resonates with Leo’s priorities.

Bishop Bejarano made headlines in 2024 when he presided over an “All Are Welcome” Mass for the LGBTQ community.

San Diego Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano celebrates Mass at St. Augustine’s School in 2021. Pope Leo XIV’s decision to elevate Bejarano, an immigrant pastor known for outreach to marginalized communities, underscores a shift toward a more inclusive Church.In a remarkable homily, he acknowledged that the Church had wounded LGBTQ people and issued a heartfelt apology.

“I apologize for the pain and distress that I and the Church have caused… because we have told them that they are not valued and not worthy of the love of God,” he told the congregation.

A Catholic bishop publicly apologizing to LGBTQ people is a profound rarity; it showed the kind of shepherd Pope Leo wants to elevate.

Bejarano has shown the same compassion on another front: immigrants and refugees.

On World Refugee Day this year, he joined a group of clergy at a San Diego immigration court to support migrants facing deportation.

Their presence had a marked effect — witnesses say even ICE agents “scampered away” rather than detain people that day. Bejarano also preached a consistent ethic of life.

“Can I defend the unborn, and at the same time be in favor of the ICE raids targeting innocent working immigrants?” he challenged in one homily, insisting that the Gospel’s answer is a resounding no.

Bejarano was also among the 68 American bishops who signed a 2021 letter asking the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to end discussions on prohibiting former President Joe Biden from receiving Holy Communion because of his stance on abortion rights.

Pope Leo XIV has made no secret of his stance on these issues.

He recently decried “inhuman measures… even celebrated politically… that treat [migrants] as if they were garbage” and urged nations to balance security with moral duty.

By picking Bejarano, Leo is backing up that stance.

The bishop’s inclusive approach has drawn ire from a small minority on the Catholic right, but Leo isn’t governed by such concerns.

He’s choosing leaders who embody the Gospel’s welcome. In Monterey, the arrival of a border bishop who embraces the outcast is a powerful sign.

This appointment comes at a pivotal moment.

Tomorrow, Pope Leo is expected to name a new Archbishop of New York, Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet — another Chicago-born prelate who shares Leo’s vision.

With his appointments over his first seven months, the pope is assembling a cohort of immigrant and like-minded bishops.

The takeaway is clear: Leo XIV is quietly reshaping the U.S. episcopate to smell like the sheep.

The leaders he picks welcome the excluded, repent of past harshness, and stand with the vulnerable.

Bishop Bejarano fits that mold, bringing an “all are welcome” spirit to Monterey.

And as the Church awaits the New York announcement, it’s evident Pope Leo is just getting started.

Letters from Leo exists to spotlight moments like this. We were the first English-language outlet in the world to confirm Ronald Hicks’s appointment to as archbishop of New York, originally broken in the Spanish-language press. And we didn’t just echo it — we confirmed what was right and corrected what was wrong.

But this isn’t about scoops or speed. It’s about clarity. Clarity about the kind of Church Pope Leo is building — one where immigrants are embraced, LGBTQ Catholics are seen, and the Gospel isn’t filtered through partisan gatekeeping.

That clarity is meant to fuel action. Because the Church is always reforming to be a more faithful icon of Christ. And the world needs reforming too — into something a bit more just, a bit less cold.

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